Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. was born in 1939 to Marvin Gay, Sr. and Alberta Gay in Washington, D.C.. Gaye began his career in Motown in 1958, and soon became Motown's top solo male artist. He scored numerous hits during the 1960s, among them "Ain't That Peculiar", "Stubborn Kind of Fellow", and "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", as well as several hit duets with Tammi Terrell, including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"" and "You're All I Need to Get By", before moving on to his own form of musical self-expression.
Along with Stevie Wonder, Gaye is notable for fighting the hit-making—but creatively restrictive—Motown record-making process, in which performers, songwriters and record producers were generally kept in separate camps. Gaye forced Motown to release his 1971 album What's Going On, which is today hailed as one of the best albums of all time. Subsequent releases proved that Gaye, who had been a part-time songwriter for Motown artists during his early years with the label, could write and produce his own singles without having to rely on the Motown system. This achievement would pave the way for the successes of later self-sufficient singer-songwriter-producers in African American music, such as Luther Vandross and Babyface.
During the 1970s, Gaye would release several other notable albums, including Let's Get It On and I Want You, and released several successful singles such as "Come Get to This", "Got to Give It Up" and "Sexual Healing". By the time of his shooting death in 1984, at the hands of his clergyman father, Gaye had become one of the most influential artists of the soul music era.
Love for Sale
Marvin Gaye Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is the heavy tread of the heavy feet
That belongs to a lonesome cop
I open shop
When the moon so long has been gazing down
On the wayward ways of this wayward town
That her smile becomes a smirk,
I go to work.
Love for sale, appetizing young love for sale
Love that's fresh and still unspoiled
Love that's only slightly spoiled
Love for sale
Who will buy?
Who would like to sample my supply?
Who's prepared to pay the price
For a trip to paradise?
Love for sale.
Let the poets pipe of love
In their childish way
I know every type of love
Better far than they.
If you want the trill of love,
I've been through the mill of love,
Old love, new love,
Every love but true love.
Love for sale.
The lyrics of Marvin Gaye's song Love for Sale speak about the commercialization of love and how it is sold like a product in the market. He portrays the emptiness of the world and how only the heavy footsteps of a lonesome cop can be heard in a deserted street. In such a world, Gaye represents himself as a merchant, who opens his shop to sell love. He uses the metaphor of a shopkeeper to show how love has become a commodity that can be bought and sold.
The second verse is a commentary on how love has lost its true meaning and has become distorted in today's world. Despite the moon being there for a long time, it has been unable to cast any light on the way of the people in this wayward town. Gaye suggests that the moon's smile has turned into a smirk in disappointment. This verse shows how love has become impure, and the original essence of love has been tainted. Gaye then starts to introduce the "product" he is selling, which is described as appetizing, fresh, unspoiled, and slightly spoiled love for sale. He asks who would like to sample his supply and is prepared to pay the price for a trip to paradise.
The last verse shows that Gaye knows every type of love, better than the poets. He has been through every type of love, except true love, including old love and new love. This verse emphasizes the shallowness of love in the world and how people are using love as a way to satisfy their temporary desires. The government had banned the original version of this song, citing the profanity of its lyrics. However, the song was later released with a few modifications.
Line by Line Meaning
When the only sound in the empty street
When there is silence in the street forlorn and bleak
Is the heavy tread of the heavy feet
Except the sound of a lonesome cop walking down the hard concrete
That belongs to a lonesome cop
The sound of heavy feet solely belongs to the lonely cop
I open shop
I start selling love to anyone who wants to buy a sop
When the moon so long has been gazing down
When the moon has looked down from above for many hours profound
On the wayward ways of this wayward town
Upon the unpredictable ways of this fickle and capricious town
That her smile becomes a smirk,
Her smile turns into a sneering grin smirking as she looks down
I go to work.
I start selling love regardless because there are customers around
Love for sale, appetizing young love for sale
I am offering all kinds of love, especially fresh and tender love without fail
Love that's fresh and still unspoiled
Love that is new and hasn't yet been defiled or soiled
Love that's only slightly spoiled
I also have love that is slightly tarnished and soiled
Love for sale
I have a selection of love, one you may want to avail
Who will buy?
Who wants to buy some love and give it a try?
Who would like to sample my supply?
Who wants to taste a bit of what I have to offer and buy their own supply?
Who's prepared to pay the price
Who is willing to pay the sum you have to pay and not once compromise
For a trip to paradise?
For a journey into a heavenly world that's too nice?
Let the poets pipe of love
Let the poets sing of love that's supposed to be high above
In their childish way
In their simplistic and innocent manner that doesn't convey
I know every type of love
I am an expert in love, and I know how to push and shove
Better far than they.
Better than any poet in his or her own way
If you want the trill of love,
If you want to experience the excitement of love from above,
I've been through the mill of love,
I've experienced every aspect of love, not just from above
Old love, new love,
I have encounter all kinds of love from all above
Every love but true love.
However, true love is something I never had a part of or was devoid of.
Love for sale.
I'm still selling love for anyone to purchase without fail.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind